Bucks Knock Off Top Conference Team

Motlow will now finish the regular season with a road swing to Cleveland St. and Chattanooga St. on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26 and 27. The trip makes up for a weekend trip that was postponed on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30 because of snow.

The Bucks jumped out to a fast start in front of perhaps the season's best atmosphere on their way to a 65-59 win over Columbia St. (13-3, 18-4) at Copperweld Arena.

Maurice Grant opened the scoring with a slam dunk which got the crowd going early, and when Freddie Goldstein nailed a three pointer to give Motlow a 16-4 lead with 12 minutes remaining it appeared to some that the home team might run away from the visiting Chargers.

However that would not be the case as Columbia St. answered Motlow's initial 16-4 run with a 16-4 run of its own to tie the score at 20-20 with five minutes remaining in the first half. The visitors briefly took their first lead before Motlow responded to take a 30-24 halftime lead.

The Chargers started the second half outscoring Motlow 7-2 to pull within one point, but Goldstein, who finished with 15 points, hit back-to-back three point shots with 15:30 remaining to push the Bucks back on top 38-31.

The visitors kept coming back though, pulling within three at 42-41 with 8:25 remaining. Motlow's Darryn Frazier hit one of his three second half three pointers in response to give the Bucks a six point advantage.

But Columbia's Mike Sweat, who had three second half three pointers of his own, hit one with six minutes remaining to tie the score at 47 apiece.

This time sophomore Mark Mason, who scored 10 points during the game, answered with an old fashioned three-point play to give his team a 53-47 lead with five minutes left.

Columbia St. was never able to get closer than four points in the final five minutes as the Bucks closed out the contest in impressive fashion. Motlow forced the visitors into 20 turnovers and hit six three pointers in the final 20 minutes and 10 for the game.

Goldstein led a balanced scoring attack unofficially with 15 points and pulled down five rebounds. Frazier had 11 points, all in the second half. Mason and Zemarious McLendon each scored 10 points. Braden led the visitors with 24 points while Brandon Allen added 10.

Bucks Roll, Prepare for Big Dog

The Bucks will now turn their attention to Saturday, when they host the top team in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association as Columbia St. (12-2, 17-3) visits. Tipoff for the men's game is scheduled for 4pm. Motlow sophomores Isaiah Kirk and Mark Mason will be honored prior to the contest.

Both teams came out rather sloppy and not shooting well on Wednesday, especially the visiting Generals who had only two points after 10 minutes and trailed 12-2. The Bucks led 21-10 with four minutes left in the half behind three three-point shots by Freddie Goldstein. The Bucks entered the half leading 29-16.

The second half was very similar to the first, with Jackson St. using much of the shot clock on each possession. The Bucks never got into a rhythm on offense, but at the same time were never seriously threatened. Motlow led 37-23 with 12 minutes remaining and kept the lead margin in double digits the rest of the contest.

Unoffically Motlow was led in scoring by Mark Mason with 11 and Zamarious McLendon with 10. McLendon pulled down a team-high seven rebounds while Maurice Grant had six boards and added six points. The Bucks hit 11-13 free throws.

Bucks Look to Extend Winning Streak

Motlow racked up its latest two wins last week with a swing through West Tennessee. The Bucks beat Dyersburg St. 88-80 on Wednesday, Feb. 10 in Dyersburg, then traveled to Memphis and edged Southwest Tennessee 81-80 in overtime.

Zamarious McClendon had the biggest scoring game of his career in Dyersburg, leading five double-figure scorers with 28 points. McClendon also hit 8-9 free throws and pulled down nine rebounds. Freddie Goldstein scored 17 point and added seven rebounds and four assists.

Mark Mason scored 15 points, Darryn Frazier added 11, and Robbie Townsend chipped in 10 points and led the team with five assists.

McClendon again came up big on Saturday against Southwest, scoring 20 points and getting his double-double with 10 rebounds. Goldstein was the leading scorer with 28 points and dished out a team high seven assists. Maurice Grant came up huge on the boards for Motlow, pulling down 11 rebounds to go along with eight points.

Bucks Refuse to Quit

Watch the replay here.

On Friday night the Bucks trailed 63-43 with 17 minutes remaining before Freddie Goldstein caught fire and scored 23 of his 37 points to lead his team to a stunning 100-90 victory.

The Bucks seemed to have run out of gas on Saturday when they trailed visiting Walters St. 47-30 with 18 minutes remaining before Goldstein again caught fire, nailing five three pointers and scoring 18 second half points in the Bucks' 76-73 victory.

The wins over the two teams closest to the Bucks in the standings lands Motlow in excellent position heading into the coming week's trips to West Tennessee. Motlow faces Dyersburg St. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, then follows that with a trip to Memphis to battle Southwest Tennessee on Saturday, Feb. 13.

The first half against Roane St. was a struggle Friday night with the Bucks entering the intermission trailing 51-38. The beginning of the second half was no better, with the visiting Raiders starting the final 20 minutes with a 12-5 run to take their 20-point lead after three minutes.

At that point something changed for the Bucks. Goldstein knocked down a pair of three point shots and within four minutes the Roane St. lead was down to 11 at 68-57. Robbie Townsend, who finished with 16 points, Mark Mason, Maurice Grant, and Zamarious McClendon all began to find their scoring touch, and Motlow took its first lead with 8:42 left at 74-73, closing a 31-10 run in just over eight minutes.

Townsend secured the win, stepping to the foul line and nailing six consecutive free throws in the final minutes. Motlow was 24-29 from the charity stripe in the second half, consistently going hard to the basket and drawing contact.

Motlow had five players in double figures, with Darryn Frazier and McClendon scoring 12 each and Mason adding 10.

Saturday the first half against Walters St. was almost a carbon copy of Friday's first 20 minutes, with the Bucks again entering the intermission trailing by 13 points 43-30. And like the previous night, the beginning of the second half saw the visiting team increase its lead.

Again it was Goldstein who jump-started the comeback with a big three pointer. Over the next six minutes the Bucks outscored the Senators 19-8, pulling within 55-49. Motlow finally took its first lead at 65-64 with 4:30 left in the game and never trailed again.

Goldstein again paced the scoring with 23 points, giving him 60 for the weekend. His six three pointers included five in the second half. Townsend was again clutch in the final minutes and finished with 13 points, while Frazier added 11, Grant had nine, and McClendon scored seven.

Bucks Brace For Invasion From the East

The Bucks currently sit in fifth place in the conference, only one-half game behind Roane St. (7-4, 12-6) which visits on Friday, Feb. 5 with tipoff scheduled for 8pm CST.

The next day will find Walters St. (8-3, 13-4) visiting the Moore Co. campus as the college celebrates Homecoming. The Senators are just ahead of Roane and Motlow in the TCCAA standings. Activities are scheduled to begin at 12pm, with the women's contest tipping off at 2pm and men scheduled for a 4pm tipoff.

Motlow's scheduled contests this past weekend against Cleveland St. and Chattanooga St. were postponed due to inclement weather. The Bucks will now travel to Cleveland on Friday, Feb. 26 for a 7pm CST tipoff, and Chattanooga on Saturday, Feb. 27 for a 3pm CST tipoff.

Bucks Fade in Second Half

Watch the replay here.

Motlow will continue its quest to finish in the top half of the TCCAA standings when it visits Cleveland St. on Friday, Jan. 29 and Chattanooga St. on Saturday, Jan. 30. The Bucks return home to host Roane St. on Friday, Feb. 5, with tipoff scheduled for 8pm.

The Bucks jumped out to a 9-2 lead after five minutes against Vol. St., a team Motlow had defeated 99-81 back in November in Gallatin. However, Holt did not play in that contest and he would prove to be virtually unstoppable after the intermission.

The Pioneers surged back to tie the contest at 16-16 with 7:30 remaining in the first half, only to see the Bucks move back in front by six when Freddie Goldstein converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 5:44 left in the half.

The visitors again caught back up at 22-22 before Motlow closed the half on a 8-2 run to lead 30-24. Motlow hit all eight of its first half free throws, a trend that would not continue in the final 20 minutes.

After the break Holt took charge, despite Goldstein scoring 16 points on his way to a team-high 24. While the Bucks began to miss free throws, converting only 5-13, the Pioneers were extremely accurate, hitting 19-21 in the final 20 minutes and 27-29 for the game.

After pulling back into a tie at 38-38 with 14 minutes left the visitors never trailed again, with their largest lead reaching nine points in the final three minutes.

Joining Goldstein in double figures for the Bucks were Darryn Frazier with 16 points and Robbie Townsend with 12.

Bucks Defend Home Court

Dyersburg St. rolled into Moore Co. on Friday, Jan. 15 and was dominated from start to finish as the Bucks rolled to a 93-68 win. Motlow followed the victory up with an equally-convincing 101-88 thrashing of Southwest Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 16. Watch the replay of Saturday's contest on the Athletics front page.

The Bucks will now have a week off before returning on Saturday, Jan. 23 when they host Volunteer St. at Copperweld Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 2pm for the women and 4pm for the men. Admission is free and both games will be broadcast on the Motlow Broadcasting System.

Motlow jumped out to a quick 11-2 lead over Dyersburg on Friday and never trailed, although the visitors closed the gap to five with 5:40 remaining in the first half. That would prove to be as close as Dyersburg would get as the Bucks paraded to the free throw line in the second half and converted enough to maintain their comfortable margin.

Unofficially the Bucks were led by Freddie Goldstein, who had double-doubles in both weekend games, with 20 points and 10 rebounds, including 17 points in the first half. Darryn Frazier scored 16, with 12 coming after the intermission, and Maurice Grant had 11 points and six rebounds.

Zamarious McClendon flirted with a double-double before finishing with nine points and eight rebounds, Tim Fortenberry had eight points and six boards, and Isaiah Kirk scored seven and added five rebounds.

The win over Southwest, traditionally a powerhouse in the TCCAA, was even more impressive. Motlow stormed to a 14-0 lead after five minutes, with the visiting Saluqis never getting closer than 12 points the rest of the way, with that margin coming in the games' final minutes.

Goldstein was again the quickest player on the floor, leading the Bucks with another double-double as he scored 20 points and added 11 rebounds. Frazier added 20, with 15 coming in the second half, and Robbie Townsend broke out of a scoring slump with 18 points.

Mark Mason had a strong second half and finished with 13 points, and McClendon joined the double-figure scorers with 10 points. Grant had another strong game with seven points and eight rebounds.

Bucks Need Wins This Weekend

The Bucks last contest was a tough 87-77 loss to Itawamba Community College on Dec. 17 in Fulton, MS. The loss was the second of the season to Itawamba, a traditional power that began the season ranked among the top 40 teams in the nation.

Motlow was scheduled to renew the 2009-2010 season on Jan. 8 with a trip to Madisonville, TN to take on Hiwassee. However, icy roads forced the cancellation of the trip.

Motlow returns to its home floor, and to TCCAA conference play, on Friday, Jan. 15 when Dyersburg St. (1-6, 3-8) visits for an 8pm tipoff. Southwest Tennessee will come to the Moore Co. campus on Saturday, Jan. 16 for a 4pm tipoff. Both days will be broadcast on the Motlow Broadcasting System.

Bucks Need Holiday Cheer

The real disappointment for the Bucks came on Friday, Dec. 11 as they dropped a 79-71 decision to Roane St., an average team mired in the middle of the conference standings at this point in the season.

In completing their first road back-to-back conference games as part of the new scheduling format, the Bucks moved on to Morristown, TN on Friday, Dec. 12 and dropped a 78-73 decision to perennial power Walters St. The Senators are currently among the top teams in the conference.

Following its trip to Mississippi on Thursday, Motlow will break for the holidays. Both squads return to the court on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 with a trip to Madisonville, TN to battle Hiwassee. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30pm against a team the Bucks hammered 118-66 at home on Nov. 7.

Motlow will then host another back-to-back conference twinbill the following weekend, with Dyersburg St. visiting on Friday, Jan. 15 and Southwest Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 16. Tipoff at Copperweld Arena is 8pm Friday night and 4pm Saturday afternoon. Both contests will be broadcast on the Motlow Broadcasting System.

Bucks Taste Sweet Revenge

Prove it they did as Motlow exploded out of the gates, leading at one time by 31 points, on their way to a dominating 104-86 decision over the visitors in front of a loud crowd on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Watch the replay here.

The Bucks will now jump back into TCCAA play with a trip to Harriman, TN to face Roane St. on Friday, Dec. 11, followed by a visit to Morristown, TN to battle nationally-ranked Walters St. The next home contest for Motlow will be January 15, 2010.

From the opening tip against Shoals there was no doubt about who was the better team and who wanted the game more. Motlow jumped to a quick 11-2 lead behind three point baskets from Freddie Goldstein and Darryn Frazier. The early nine point margin was as close as the visiting Patriots would get the whole night.

Behind Goldstein's 15 first half points and Frazier's 10 the Bucks led 42-19 with 5:30 left on the first half clock and went into the locker room leading 58-37 at intermission.

With 17 minutes remaining in the game point guard Robbie Townsend hit Zamarious McClendon with a perfect alley-oop pass that McClendon slammed into the hoop, sending the home crowd into a loud explosion. A few minutes later Ryan Stovall, playing his first game for the Bucks, slammed home another dunk that put a seal on the victory and showed his massive potential to help the Bucks during the remainder of the season.

Goldstein finished unofficially with a team-high 16 points, followed by Frazier's 10. Russell Polk and Maurice Grant each scored nine, Mark Mason and Isaiah Kirk added eight each, and Tim Fortenberry chipped in seven. Every available player scored for the Bucks except Ronnie Clark, who pulled down three rebounds and played exceptional defense.

Frazier led the rebounding with six, while McClendon and Grant added five boards each. Stovall added three blocked shots to his first Motlow stat sheet. NW Shoals stayed relatively close in the second half thanks to hitting 25-27 free throws in the final 20 minutes.

Bucks Seek Payback After Weekend Split

The contest with Northwest Shoals comes after the Bucks split a pair of conference games during the past weekend, beating Cleveland St. 83-81 on Friday night before dropping a 106-100 decision to Chattanooga St. on Saturday.

Friday night's win over Cleveland was an absolute thriller, with freshman Darryn Frazier emerging as the hero after taking a charge and converting two free throws with .8 seconds remaining. Frazier led the Bucks in scoring with 15 points, including 11 in the second half.

Motlow fell behind 18-11 in the first eight minutes before finally grabbing its first lead 28-27 when Russell Polk converted a three-point play with 6:07 remaining in the first half. Polk had his finest game as a Buck with 13 points.

The Bucks extended their lead to as many as seven with just under 13 minutes left in the game, but Cleveland went on a 9-1 run and finally regained the lead at 75-74 with 2:40 left in the contest. The lead bounced back and forth until Motlow, with .8 showing on the clock, had to go the length of the floor trailing 81-80. That's when Frazier stepped up big.

First he stepped in front of a Cleveland defender and took the charging foul, much to the chagrin of Cougars head coach Lee Cigliano. Frazier then calmly stepped to the charity stripe and nailed both free throws for the win.

Robbie Townsend added 12 points, while Freddie Goldstein had seven points and seven rebounds.

Against Chattanooga, with both teams ranked among the Top 40 teams in the nation, the contest lived up to the billing. Motlow jumped out to an early 16-8 lead and extended it to 38-25 with seven minutes left in the half behind Goldstein's hot shooting. Motlow's leading scorer had 17 points at the intermission, including four three-pointers, but the visitors closed the gap to 51-48 at the half.

The lead went back and forth in the second half before Chattanooga went on a 19-10 run and took a commanding 78-70 lead with 9:46 remaining. Despite a strong effort behind Zamarious McClendon's 16 second half points, the Bucks could never regain the lead.

Nationally-Ranked Bucks Host Big Weekend

Motlow received votes in the Dec. 1 NJCAA Poll, placing the Bucks among the top 40 teams in the country.

The Bucks will now prepare for their most important weekend of the young season with a pair of TCCAA foes set to invade Copperweld Arena.

Motlow will host Cleveland St. (2-2, 5-3) on Friday, Dec. 4, with tipoff scheduled for 8pm. The Bucks will then host Chattanooga St. (3-1, 5-1), the nation's 21st-ranked team, on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 4pm. Both contests will be broadcast live on the new Motlow Broadcasting System. Watch the broadcast here.

The Bucks are led in scoring by Freddie Goldstein, averaging 17.1 PPG, and Darryn Frazier, who averages 17.0. Darrius Whitson is shooting 58.6% from the field, with Frazier hitting shots at a 54% rate. Frazier is the 4th best three-point shooter in the state, hitting 55% of his shots from behind the arc.

Robbie Townsend is second in the conference in free throw shooting, hitting 13-14 for 93%. Patrick Roberson has dished out 4.4 assists per game, tied for fourth in the state, with Townsend close behind at 3.6. Goldstein averages 2.6 steals per game, good enough for third in the conference.

Bucks Run Away From Pioneers

The Bucks will put their four-game winning streak and their perch atop the TCCAA standings to the test when they host Cleveland St. at 8pm on Friday, Dec. 4, then turn around and host Chattanooga St. on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 4pm at Copperweld Arena.

The Bucks (3-0, 5-2) rode the three-point shooting of Freddie Goldstein in the final 20 minutes as the freshman from St. Augustine, FL nailed five threes after the intermission and six for the game on his way to a team-high 24 points. He also added six rebounds.

Motlow never trailed in the game, jumping out front 10-8 in the first six minutes. The Bucks threatened to blow the Pioneers out early, leading 28-16 with 5:30 left in the half before the home team fought back to close within seven at the intermission 40-33.

However the Bucks came out strong to begin the second half, extending their lead to 50-39 with 16 minutes left and 77-57 at the eight minute mark. Motlow hit its free throws in the second half, dropping 10-12 tosses from the charity stripe to keep the home team from making it close.

Darryn Frazier and Zamarious McClendon added 12 points each while Robbie Townsend scored 10, Mark Mason had 10, and Maurice Grant and Patrick Roberson each added seven. Goldstein led the rebounding with six boards, while Townsend and Roberson each dished out six assists. The Bucks as a team hit 25-40 shots, including 11-14 from three-point range and 17-22 from the foul line.

Former Motlow player Justin Johnson, who transferred to Volunteer St. during the off-season, led the Pioneers with 20 points.

Bucks' Buzzer Beater Bests Wallace St.

Freshman Darius Whitson from Trezevant High School in Memphis pulled up from 25 feet away and drilled a three pointer as the buzzer sounded to send the significant crowd on hand into a court-charging frenzy after Motlow came from 15 points behind with 15 minutes to play.

Wallace St. entered the contest undefeated and ranked sixth in the nation in the latest NJCAA poll. Motlow (2-0, 4-2) has now won three consecutive games and will step back into conference play on Saturday, Nov. 21 with a trip to Gallatin, TN to take on Volunteer St. Tipoff is scheduled for 4pm for the men and the game will be broadcast live on the new Motlow Broadcasting System. Watch the broadcast here.

The visiting Lions jumped out front early 11-8 after four minutes and maintained a comfortable lead the entire first half, entering the intermission leading 38-26. The lead increased to 47-32 with just over 15 minutes left to play when the home team began to mount its comeback.

Motlow pulled within eight at 52-44 with 12:25 remaining but the visitors stretched it back to 10 with 7:19 left. Whitson hit his first big basket with 6:50 left to pull Motlow within seven at 64-57.

Motlow trailed by eight at 71-63 when Coach Nichols picked up a technical foul with 4:17 left, which in hindsight may have been the best thing to happen to the young Bucks although after hitting the free throws Wallace led by 11. Trailing by eight at 71-63 with 2:38 remaining, the Bucks mounted the comeback which led to one of the biggest wins in the school's 40-year history.

Darryn Frazier hit a three point shot to pull the Bucks within 71-66. Frazier then nailed two free throws to cut the deficit to three at 71-68. During the comeback the Motlow defense was smothering, consistently forcing the taller Lions into turnovers.

Finally with 50 seconds remaining Freddie Goldstein nailed a three-point shot to tie the game at 74-74. Wallace couldn't get off a successful shot and turned the ball over with 7.8 seconds remaining. That's when Whitson took the pass from Frazier, squared his body, and launched the three-point shot that sank into the basket as the final buzzer sounded and sent the Copperweld Arena crowd into celebration mode.

Frazier led the Bucks in scoring with 20, including 11 in the second half. Goldstein added 15, also scoring 11 after the intermission. Whitson finished unofficially with nine points, all in the second half, and Mark Mason had eight points with all also coming in the second half.

Bucks Host Nationally-Ranked Wallace St.

The game will be broadcast live on the new Motlow Broadcasting System. Watch the broadcast here.

The Bucks traveled to Jackson, TN on Friday, Nov. 13 and won their conference opener 89-69. Darryn Frazier led the scoring with 19 points, with Freddie Goldstein adding 18. Every player except one scored for Motlow. Tim Fortenberry led the rebounding with six, while Patrick Roberson dished out five assists and Goldstein had three steals.

The Bucks then headed to Columbia, TN on Saturday and edged Columbia St. 75-72. Goldstein exploded for 24 points and added five steals. Mark Mason added 12 points, Frazier had 11, and Roberson scored 10. Isaiah Kirk led the rebounding with five while Roberson dished out a team-high four assists.

Darryn Frazier led the Bucks with a season-high 28 points along with four rebounds. Freddie Goldstein added 15 points with two steals, Zamarious McLendon scored 14 with seven rebounds and three steals, Tim Fortenberry had 12, and Darius Whitson added 11 points with four assists.

Patrick Roberson led the Bucks with eight assists, while Robbie Townsend dished out six and Maurice Grant added five. Motlow was 9-19 from behind the three-point stripe and had 28 assists on its 40 made baskets.

Bucks Open TCCAA Play This Weekend

The Bucks (0-0, 1-2) are coming off a tough 75-70 loss to Northwest Shoals on Tuesday, Nov. 10 in Muscle Shoals, AL. Details on that contest are coming soon.

Motlow's next home game is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17 when nationally-ranked Wallace St. visits Copperweld Arena. Wallace St. is ranked ninth in the nation in the NJCAA Preseason Poll. The game will be broadcast live on the new Motlow College Broadcasting Network. Watch the broadcast here.

Bucks Trounce Visiting Hiwassee

The Bucks will join the Lady Bucks in playing their next three contests on the road, beginning with a trip to Muscle Shoals, AL to face Northwest Shoals on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The next home contest will be Tuesday, Nov. 17 when Wallace St. visits at 7:30pm. The game will be broadcast live on the new Motlow College Broadcasting Network. Watch the broadcast here.

The Bucks were never threatened against Hiwassee, jumping out in front 15-7 after five minutes, 35-15 after 10, and 62-27 at the intermission. The final margin of 52 points was one of the largest in school history. The 118 points tied for the third-most in school history, equalling the mark set against Covenant College on Nov. 7, 2007.

Darryn Frazier led the Bucks with a season-high 28 points along with four rebounds. Freddie Goldstein added 15 points with two steals, Zamarious McLendon scored 14 with seven rebounds and three steals, Tim Fortenberry had 12, and Darius Whitson added 11 points with four assists.

Patrick Roberson led the Bucks with eight assists, while Robbie Townsend dished out six and Maurice Grant added five. Motlow was 9-19 from behind the three-point stripe and had 28 assists on its 40 made baskets.

Indians Hunt Down Bucks in Season Opener

The Bucks will have an opportunity to get their first win of the season when they host Hiwassee on Saturday, Nov. 7 with tipoff scheduled for 4pm. The game will be broadcast live on the new Motlow College Broadcasting Network. Watch the broadcast here.

The Bucks held their biggest lead at 20-15 with 11:08 remaining in the first half. Itawamba fought back to tie the score at 33-33 at halftime. The visitors pulled out to a 47-39 lead with 15:38 remaining and were never threatened again. Freddie Goldstein led Motlow with 18 points. Further details coming soon.

Bucks Host Itawamba in Season Opener

New Bucks head coach Jerry Nichols welcomes a talented group of freshmen to his first squad, along with returning sophomore Isaiah Kirk. Nichols played and coached at Walters St., Arkansas St., and Union, KY before joining the Motlow family earlier this year.

Itawamba ended the 2008-2009 season with a 74-69 loss to Gulf Coast in the Region 23 Tournament in Clinton, MS. Motlow's season ended last year with a 22-8 record and a loss in the semifinals of the Region VII Tournament. The Indians have won three straight Region 23 North Divison crowns for the first time in 35 years.

The two teams opened the regular season last year on Halloween as Itawamba grabbed a 74-66 decision in the PSP Industries Tipoff Classic on the Itawamba home floor in Fulton, MS. The Indians were ranked 12th in the nation at that time.

The game will be broadcast live on the new Motlow College Broadcasting Network. Watch the broadcast here.

Bucks Release 2009-2010 Roster

The lone returning player is center Isaiah Kirk, a third-year sophomore from Nashville. Kirk was a redshirt during the 2007-2008 season before suiting up last year, when he appeared in 27 games and averaged one point and almost three rebounds per game with 10 blocked shots.

This year's edition of the Bucks, the 40th in school history, features players from Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. In addition one of the redshirt athletes is from Minnesota.

Bucks Announce 2009-2010 Schedule

The Bucks are coming off a 22-8 campaign under former head coach Mike Brown. Nichols comes to Motlow after two years as an assistant coach at Union College in Barbourville, KY.

Jerry Nichols Named Bucks Head Coach

Nichols follows Mike Brown, who departed after one season to become an assistant coach at the University of South Alabama. Brown led the Bucks to a 22-8 record in 2008-2009, winning the Eastern Division during the regular season and advancing to the semifinals of the TJCCAA/Region VII Tournament.

Nichols comes to Motlow from Union College in Barbourville, KY, where he was a varsity assistant coach and junior vasity head coach from 2007-2009. His JV teams had a combined 25-6 record during his two years, while the varsity squad had a combined 34-28 mark.

"As a coach I plan to take an aggressive approach to developing athletes", said Nichols. "Being coached by some of the best coaches in basketball has provided me with an in-depth understanding and a deep love for the game."

As an assistant coach at Walters St. during the 2006-2007 season, Nichols recruited Sir Lester Martin, one of the state's top players during his two-year career. Walters St. went 21-11 during Nichols' one season coaching at the school. Nichols also compiled a 24-10 record as an AAU head coach during the 2005-2006 season.

Motlow fans will remember Nichols as a member of an outstanding Walters St. team that came to Copperweld Arena and won the TJCCAA/Region VII Tournament championship in 2002. Nichols was a 2nd-team All-American during his freshman season and was named the state Player of the Year.

After sitting out the 2002-2003 season with a knee injury Nichols returned to the court for Walters St. in 2003-2004. The Senators again won the tournament championship, finishing the season with a 28-6 record. Nichols averaged 21.6 points per game, 9th in the nation, and was named a 1st-team All-American.

Following his outstanding career at Walters St. Nichols signed with Arkansas St., where he lead the team in three-point shooting and was named the top defensive player in 2004-2005.

His knee injury cropped up again during his senior season at Arkansas St., forcing him to end his playing career although he was awarded the team's leadership award.

Nichols has named Freeman Pinckney as his assistant coach. Pinckney played for Nichols at Walters St. and played last season for Martin Methodist, where he still has one season of eligibility remaining.